The delivery of chemical compounds across membranes is known in the art, and is primarily a function of the permeability of the membrane to the chemical compound of interest and the presence or absence of a motivating force. Many membranes, including biological tissue (such as skin and nails) are relatively impermeable to a range of chemical compounds. This fact has implications in a number of fields, including but not limited to the field of drug delivery.
Several devices and methods enabling the transport of chemical compounds through membranes and/or tissue are described below.